But by far, venlafaxine and desvenlafaxine (Effexor and Pristiq) are the ones I hear about. In my opinion, these two drugs are a nightmare to come off of for most people. ^ (I’m not saying everyone has trouble with these antidepressants, just that many do.)

Did I mention yet I’m not a doctor? Ah, well I’m not. None of this is to be considered medical advice; this is an informational article only. Never alter your treatment without talking to your doctor. Thanks.

Venlafaxine (Effexor) Has Beads

Luckily (or unluckily) for you, Effexor is in a capsule which contains beads. This is great news. It means that every day you can open the Effexor capsule up and take out one more beads. So on the first day, you take out one bead, on the second day you take out two, and so on.

You can count the venlafaxine beads using creased paper and tweezers. Dump out the beads onto the paper, count out the appropriate number, and then use the creased paper to dump the remaining beads back into the Effexor capsule before taking it.

Sound like fun?

Well, I never said it was fun. I just said it was doable. And consider yourself lucky because you could be stuck with a pill you can’t divide (like the lucky folks on Pristiq).

I Refuse to Count Venlafaxine (Effexor) Beads

If you’re really stubborn and refuse to do it the right way, in the alternative, you can open the capsule, take out about one quarter of the beads and then after 6-8 weeks, take out half the beads and so on.

Getting Off Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

Unfortunately, desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) has no beads and the smallest dose it comes in is 50 mg – and you cannot cut a Pristiq tablet (you need its coating as it effects the metabolizing of the drug). Often, going from 50 mg to 0 mg is way too big a drop for people. You can try to alternate off and on days with Pristiq (in an attempt to get an actual dose of 25 mg in your blood stream) but that may still produce too many withdrawal effects.

Fluoxetine (Prozac) Helps Get You Off Other Antidepressants

By Tom Varco, Wikipedia

Yes, that’s right, getting on an antidepressant can help get you off an antidepressant. The only way (almost, see below) doctors know to soften the blow when withdrawing from short half-life drugs like Pristiq is to add fluoxetine (Prozac).

You can add 20 mg of Prozac to any other antidepressant (like desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) or venlafaxine (Effexor) for that matter) and then get off the Pristiq. Once the Pristiq is gone, you can taper off the Prozac using the previously discussed rules.

This works because fluoxetine (Prozac) has a long half-life making it much easier to get off of than drugs like Pristiq.

Compounding Pharmacies Can Help (I Think)

I have no experience with this, but I am told compounding pharmacies can take higher dosages of drugs and break them down into lower dosages for you. This is a good way to taper if you can find someone to do this for you; I’d say it’s pretty uncommon.

Reminder – Don’t do any of this without talking to your doctor.

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Getting Off Antidepressants – The Series

This article is the third in the series on getting off of antidepressants. You may wish to read the first two parts:

Footnotes

* Yes, the cynical part of me thinks drug makers do this on purpose. They have no motivation to make it easy for you to get off their drug. And if you can’t stand the withdrawal, then more money for them. And don’t get me started on the fact that doctors don’t warn patients about the problem; that’s a whole other article.

^ Whomever in the drug company finds this acceptable should be tortured for a while – just like the people trying to get off these meds.

the archives

74 Comments

Have been on Effexor XR 150 for approximately 15 months. I was prescribed by my neurologist for chronic pain condition and chronic migraines. It does not help me. I guess? I don’t know what it is supposed to do for me in regards to “chronic pain” and such, so about a month ago, I decided that I am suffering more from its side effects (I was already quite familiar with the side effects of being on the medication itself prior to any knowledge of withdrawal side effects and such) than I am benefitting from the drug itself. So, I decided not to travel 5 hours to see a specialist that prescribed me a handful of medications, such as Effexor XR 150, after telling me that the previous specialist had over-prescribed me, and I made an appointment with my regular physician who is tapering me off. I immediately began suffering from nausea, mood swings/irritability, increased anxiety/paranoia, vomiting, sweats & chills, electric shocks, confusion, and loss of some sensory skills. This has been a very horrible experience for me. I can’t sleep at night. When I finally do fall asleep, I can’t wake up because I haven’t slept in a 36 hour period. I cannot wait to be as far away as I can possibly be from this devil drug. I will also note that I have experienced the horrible side effects of taking your medicine too late, like even 8 hours since the last dose will change my state of mind and can sometimes disable me from driving. I just don’t understand why a doctor would want to do this to someone. I, by no means whatsoever, am saying this in a derogatory manner towards anyone else as if my medical needs are above anyone else’s, but I’m only 26 years old.

heya,im after some advice,My friend takes 1 Venlafaxine 225mg a day,He has been on them for 12 months so far.Hes decided to go “cold Turkey” against his doctors advice.Ive been reading about the withdrawal symptoms and im really worried

Hi Natasha. I was on Lexapro 20 my for about 9 yrs. I have had horrible daily headaches and 3 to 4 migraines a week. Was sent to neurologist 2 dif times with no answer for my headache. Stopped the Lexapro about 5 mnths ago and realized my head a he’s and migraines dissappeared. I never even considered it could be from the lexapro. Being off mess and letting my system clean out i could now see where I was mentally without meds. With much research and inner searching I believe that I am bipolar. Everybody in my family has had this diagnosis. My regular doctor agreed with me and put me on prozac and a mood stabalizer. I felt better than ever. I was doing things I enjoyed again because I was no longer running at full speed no longer had the problem of feeling panicky and that I was always in a rush to do do do. I felt at peace. But after 3 or 4 weeks I started to feel weird lime something was wrong. I went to my doctor and he said it was normal adjusting. It got worse fast. Had a panic attack and was feeling like I was not in control of my thoughts or emotions. Completely disassociated. Stopped taking it felt this way still for another week and half. It was very scary. I mentioned maybe we could try wellbutrin as it helps my brother he said probably not a good idea as it could make me manic. But he agreed to and after a week my horrible headaches are back. I’m on my 3rd migraine this week. Yesterday he switched me to effexor which I am worried about starting because I’m afraid it too will cause headaches. I really liked the prozac but am wandering what could have went wrong. It seems like that or the stabalizer made me toxic or poisened. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks much

I’ve just opened up my venlafaxine 150 capsule…and the beads are different sizes! Do you know what dosage the different sizes are? I really need to reduce down very slowly as tapering off the normal/GP suggested way has been impossible for me (the usual headaches, brain zaps, depression)

I just came off venlafaxine after about 2 years of being on it. It wasn’t working and was giving me heart palpitations, and weird head spinning stuff whenever I lay down. I’ve been on a lot of antidepressants, literally NONE of them have done anything apart from make me dependent on a drug,
Actually, I stand corrected, venlafaxine do do one thing, and i’m not totally sure if it was just the venlafaxine, or the fact that this is the first time I’ve been “sober” from antidepressants for about 14 years. I’m getting this weird thing where whenever my boyfriend touches me I feel like a burning sensation, and also, everything is making me really, unbelievably squeamish. I’m finding myself dry heaving all the time. I haven’t had the burning sensation since I was about 15 and I was going ON to antidepressants….Anyone else had this when coming off of venlafaxine, or other meds?

I was on venlafaxine/buspirone/nefazadone for years. Because I live in California, and because I’m a worry wart at heart, I decided I’d like to try tapering off all meds because I didn’t want to get caught after an earthquake without the meds and no place to get more. What can I say? Anyway, I started with the buspirone, then went too the nefazadone. I took two years doing this because of my fear of a bad reaction. Had no problems. Then one day I forgot completely to take my nighttime venlafaxine cap (at the time, I was on 2 75-mg caps a day). The next morning I experienced vertigo so bad that I couldn’t even get out of bed. Really scared me, since I was alone at the time, so asked MD about tapering the venlafaxine until I was completely off. He changed my RX from 75 mg caps to 37.5 mg pills. His instructions were to take 1 pill a.m. and 1 pill p.m. for 2 weeks, then reduce to 1 pill a.m. and 1/2 pill p.m. for a month, then 1/2 pill a.m. and 1/2 pill p.m. for a month, then 1/2 pill a.m. for a month, then nothing. I’m now 2 weeks into the 1/2 a.m. and 1/2 p.m. stage. At each change I’ve suffered a horrible migraine for the first 2 days, which I managed with hydrocodone. Shortly before it’s time for me to take the next half-pill, I experience the brain zaps (which I refer to as cartoon ghost sounds–you know, that sort-of “phhsssht” sound the ghost always makes as s/he scoots around in the background scaring cartoon characters). Because my boyfriend is headed on a business trip to Asia in a month, I’d like to be completely off the stuff before he leaves so I know I’ll be all right on my own. I was thinking of speeding up the process but have decided to at least notify my doc of this decision before doing so. It’s a lousy choice between tapering off too early and experiencing worse headaches and ghosts and possibly other side effects and going slowly but alone with the worry that I might have vertigo with no one around to help. Such a conundrum! I haven’t talked much about my depression on my blog, but I think perhaps I’ll keep a blog journal until I’m all done. Thanks for your post.

Hi I have been taking pristiq for most 3yars and ave decided to ween myself off ,with the support of my doctor each time I have tried the brain shakes that I get really scare me nd throw me back to taking my normal ose of 10mg per day rather than 50mg every 3 days and so on! Do you have any tips for me to hande these side affects we ve 3 children that I take care of during the day and work during he nights from 4pm til 7pm, there just doesnt seem o be any time to relax and take in the side affects calmly and in control?
Julie

I been on venlafaxine for the last 6 years I take 4 pills day each pill is 150mg my doctor I had for 26years is retired I just went to another doctor to get my prescription refill he told me I shouldn’t be taking so many and he would only refill 30 days after talking with him I decided I want to get this pill now I no about the side affect I would like to get off this pill because I take 6oomg day how do I do it
Thank you
Albert
ps- this is my wife email its ok to get back to me on it

Getting of Paxil was pure hell. It took an entire year to wean off. I lost that year, worst year of my life. Withdrawals were severe with every 1-2mg drop. It felt like death. I don’t wish that on anyone.

I got off Pristiq by taking it when symptoms set in. If I started to get a headache day 1, I took a 50mg pill. By day 2 I was ok to wait an extra day, then two days between doses, etc. until eventually I had no withdrawal symptoms and stopped taking them entirely.

Hi Tracy…I want to get off Prestiq too. I think I have been on it for about 3 years now, and just started having symptoms in the last few weeks that they talk about in the info they send with your meds. Been dealing with rapid heart rate, just out of the blue sometimes my heart will shift into over drive. Anxiety and feeling like I’m gonna pass out hits me for no apparent reason. Anyway, I’m thinking it may be the Prestiq since these things usually happen in the evenings… Did you skip days to taper off? Other post have said that could be dangerous, so I was wondering more about your situation. Any advice you could give would be helpful.

Hi, I just started getting off of Pristiq about a week ago and after reading all the above information I had NO idea that your not suppose to cut the pills in have to tapper off the stuff. I was wondering why I was getting the side effect of heart burn, Has anyone else had that side effect? I am on 100 mg now and now going to not cut the pills and just take one every other day.

I would like to get off of Effexor XR 150mg daily because I have terrible acid reflux and have heard it could be the cause. I just want to clarify that along with all your guidelines for tapering off, are you saying to take out 1 bead on day 1 then add a bead every day as long as you are not noticing any other withdrawal issues. Thanks so much for the help as all the stories about getting off the med are very scary. Priscilla

I have had six episodes of major depression since 1995. These have always been self-limiting and after about 6months I can return to work. I have used a/d’s in the past…Seroxat and Citalopram. Two of the previous episodes did have features of Bi-Polar but there was never any diagnosis of this. This current episode of depression again has had features of hypomania and my Dr first prescribed Citalopram but after two months the symptoms had not improved and I was prescribed Mirtazapine, however after three weeks on this I had a manic episode and so the Dr stopped that as well. Currently not on any medication but having just had an assessment with a consultant psychiatrist who has recommended that I am treated with Duloxatine or Venlafaxine or Fluoxetine, whilst being closely monitored to see if they cause me to flip into a manic state. Possible diagnosis of BP with PTSD. Having read the information posted here and the real suffering that people experience trying to come of these meds I am really reluctant to try any of them, however my Dr and Psych are concerned that I will then be an untreated Bi-Polar and would be at risk.

any advice on how to coherently and responsibly challenge the proposed treatment plan…I am concerned as being labelled non-compliant if I dont take the drugs as this would have serious ramifications for work…I am a social worker and a priest.

Hi Natasha… I found your site when I did a search for “getting off anti-depressants.” I have been on them for about 20 years. I did quite a bit of switching around because no one drug worked to cover all the symptoms I was having. For about the past ten years I have been on a combination of venlafaxine, buspirone, and trazodone. About five years ago I had a suicical depression and my doctor added Abilify.

Recently I wanted to try another drug to replace the venlafaxine, because it didn’t seem to be working. I was very sluggish and felt immobilized, and I wanted to sleep all the time. I tried to withdraw from the venlafaxine and the trazodone so that I could go on Lexapro (or its generic equivalent.) I became very ill, with even worse depression, terrible pounding headaches, nausea and dizziness. I have started to wonder if all these drugs are, in fact, causing the sluggishness rather than its being a disease that keeps breaking through. But I don’t *know*. I have had depression since I was eight. I have no idea at this point what I really need, if I need any of it. I’m going to try your suggestions for withdrawing from venlafaxine (my doctor has now placed me on Wellbutrin in addition to everything, so that’s five drugs.) I will be sure to do it with her help. What I am wondering is, do you think I can eventually get off the bulk of these drugs, so that I can actually tell what it is I do need these days? I used to have more energy and I used to have feelings. They were unmanageable, however. I’m very confused. What do you think?

Well, whether you can get off the bulk of meds is a very individual question and I can’t say whether you’ll be able to or not – it will all depend on your and how you react to each change. Unfortunately, no one knows the answer to that ahead of time.

What I recommend is that you withdraw from medication _one_ drug at a time, _very_ very slowly and give yourself lots of time to adjust to each change. Then, if you find that you depression gets worse after withdrawing from a drug, you can decide whether you want to get back on it.

Basically, any time you remove a drug, you might get worse – after all, that’s why you were on the medication in the first place. But, then again, you might be OK if you’re on a combination. It’s possible that part of the combination is unnecessary. Or, keep in mind you might not be able to get off a medication but you could reduce the dose and that might help too.

Sorry, I know that’s probably not the answer you wanted, but it the best one I can give.

hi, natasha! I have decided to come off pristiq that I have been on for too long. I never knew about the bad withdrawal symptoms til recently. I just feel my doctor was just given them to me without even monitoring anything. I have learned a very serious lesson from all this. I want off this and it should be removed from doctor’s being able to write a prescription for it. thanks for helping us all. I would like to know more about what to use to come off that I can talk to my new Dr about.

Well, keep in mind that not everyone has severe withdrawal symptoms from Pristiq – some people have none.

As for what to talk to your doctor about, talk to him about the suggestions in this article. Print it out and take it to him if you like. The suggestions are laid out above, but you likely won’t need another drug (like fluoxetine) to help you get off Pristiq unless you do experience withdrawal, so you might be just fine without. It’s individual.

I really appreciate that you’re trying to suggest an option for people but after careful consideration I decided I would rather not have non-medically-supported options listed here. Certainly, people can use whatever method they like, but the information here is intended to have a certain amount of reliability to it.

OK folks..with a name like mine..janis joplin…I was born and named in 1949…somewhere around 1966-67 Janis started belting out the blues in SF with Big Brother&the holding co. (BBHC) at the Avalon,Fillmore and ballrooms all over the USA when it was hip to be hippie….and yes I lived an hour’s drive to point O. the Haight-Ashbury bummer of Opps :} aka Summer of Love. she was the most AMAZING woman who ever hit it spot on Blues,rock&roll,psycchedell,changing women entry into the ever so all male controlled music…broke the rules…ahead or her time…college ed…..multi-talented, person to grace the middle of our 20th. yet there was a price to pay…the 60’s were not all the hip for most of good old USA types….I had the extreme luck to be born in a moment of time and place to have seen her…not want to be her….however to learn life lessons on a journey many years after…on into my 50’s…..that myself and a whole generation thought they knew it all man….she was a woman,person first…..only to end up taking too much of the only antidepressent available at the time….she went out on a midnight rail following the tracks she laid down somewhere between southern comf. and that old monkey pounding on the backs of many jazz,blues,country, musician’s hell-in-the head viper in the arm,smoked,snorted,with or without water,pills…you get what I’m trying to say-do….they would and will laugh us off the planet if they read our “cold turkey” experiences on what…drugs…don’t get ya high….just normal?…..and withdrawl on a level most junkies could never figure out…..but…it is 2012 antidepressants replace really bad street drugs because….in my case….along with a few others who thought Woodstock would be forever….it was just the last…I remember seeing Janis the summer of 69 in Sacramento…..I was tired and wanted to leave early to beat the car jams….Janis finished with Ball and Chain…and my friend Val said to me…Stop…Wow….I make some glib remark…comm’on we can catch her in SF come Sept….I stayed….was not on any flavor of the yr. drug…..she took us all…cops included…to another dimenson….and I was so wrong…she never came back after the summer of 69…..So I thank you all so much for taking time to fly back to a time when love was replaced by depression, dispair,drugs us kids from the suburbs never knew what or how it hit…..only those from inner cities…knew too well…..and yes we grew up…finished college…draft duty…moved out of SF for marin county had kids, good jobs for some,stoped taking whatever…some went into rehab…never a concept during the 60’s, blasted into the 80’s…remember “greed is good” or yuppies…everyone died…lost in space…went underground…only to resurface….not taking his meds Abby Hoffman laid down alone to die…..it was 1990? I believe…took the pills that mother never gave you…and was lost in wonderland…..most don’t even know his legacy….you see how depression hit so many of us and those with gifts never to be given….And Janis….she was the poster child for why the Prozac nation came around…20yrs to late….and today I am trying to get off a combo of prozac/effexor that I have been on since 2001 for Fibromyalga…fatigue…burn out…I was supper achiever….after digging out of some wasteland called the 70’s…stopped drinking 4/23/1990….masters in hand….top of whatever a teacher’s pay can be….loved my work…teaching special ed…great school…two top assistants…..and the best part of this was…RES-PECT….GOT ME A LITTLE respect….resepct all the way…you know the rest…Aretha Franklin….sang it for all those of us women,poor women,the welfare queen, btw pres. ronald reagen never could find the “welfare Queen” he so disrespected….because she never existet…yes its true…rearch was conducted….but a lie started the 30yr right wing coporate run with the best politicans MONEY can buy…and here we are today…gone is Johnson’s “war on poverty” with his plan known as “the great sociaty” which worked…cut poverty in the US by 50%….well we know the rest…Nixon’s war on drugs…40+yrs later still fighting…lost money,lost lives and too many people of color packing the prisons being built during those yrs..1970-2002…and the war is lost…will never be won…just a way to keep so many gifted people who never will have a chance to let even a spark that lies deep in the soul…locked in the chains all of us are part of….hate..fear…dumbed down ….with our faces forever stuck on american stars…truckers….real life reality shows of what? bad girls….trash from swamps or towers by Trump…trailor trash……from deep in the pits blinded by $$$$…yhep even we can be trash….not have a job…but hay..a guy…wearing a weazel on his head…or whatever that is he tries to pawn off as hair….transplant on bad acid…..getting back to me 1999 best in church AA teacher every one calls…a special person to teach those….lowest on societys social scale….they used to call classes I taught..TMR..tainable mentaly retarded….god…cats,dogs,ecen chickens are train-able…humans….are not trained after age 2 or so….we are to go on being taught…by teachers…not B&B circus…that was changed after a powerful lobby by parents and students who may have a lower IQ…however they are not stupid….some of the highest IQ’s are so very stupid….look around you…..about that time I became sick with this or that infection,flu on….and on….the 1999-2000 school year I fill up on antibiotics,vitem,cold meds..I belive that the whole yr I was on a diet of anything so I could work…it was during the 2week winter break that I was well….but did get an abcess tooth…root cannel fixed me right up….for the next 3yrs I went through all kinds of test…what was wrong..fibro not well known then…finally a ruma…got it right….fibromyal…what….after two medical leaves 1month…then2months….and more was all I demanded from my dr….whatever it takes…pain pills…get me though one more day in my beloved classroom…effexor150mg a day….that was 2001 when I started and have been on till now?..then how about Prozac 80mgs with effexor as a chaser….it was 2003 first two months of the school yr and used up 12+20 days sick leave…I was in the hole for usable days…Then it was Nov. 1 day after my beloved halloween…my aid Jacque told me to go home and see my dr. before I drop off the planet….and I did…DR. said…are you ready to let go and start up as I had been running on empty too long…early retirement at age 53….more depressed…more of mother’s little helpers….from the stones 1966…and here I am today….dr. retired…and as most of you know…welcome to the strange world of pain,pills and old age just to make it our/my own reality show…but married the right man after yrs of ….uh..kissed a lot of frogs…found an the prince…after 30yrs from the same HS class of 1968….now that I have over extended my welcome on this great site…I thought the way to taper down was 2+weeks..going from 80mg prozac to 0…then the 74mg effexor pill form would be a p of cake…..took 75mgs for 2 or3 days felt groovy so stopped…still felt groove for 4+ days….side swiped from the back of my head to the numb feet…I did not expect this…so took a 75…ok for 3days…it felt like the monkey on the back morphed into Hanibal Lecter…silence of the lambs…only on that “brown” acid we all remember stage guy warning us not to take the brown acid…but it’s your own trip if you want….(to be ptsd forever…..today off again and going “one flew over th cukos nest” parden my spelling as I am not on my best teacher or retired teach-er moment………I have to tell you first…my name is Janis..not joplin…but Janis smith or jones….not wanting to ID myself all over cyber space forever more…..second…writing is God teaching me how to cope….I really just started out to ask a question…drop a joke ha..ha..and be done with it….but as I started all I could think of is my email address and how Janis would or could live to go on with her plan to reinvent herself as Pearl her almost complete new recording with her band the one she conducted after leaving BBHC the band Chelt helms went all the way to texas to scoop up a lead singer for the house band he was mang. for the avalon Family Dog productions in fierce comptetion with Bill Grams Fillmore ballroom….we all knew Chets FD was the really hip cool place…and of course Bill Ham’s wall to wall light show….I met him in the late 90’s where he took my hubby and I into the basement of the house he lived on Pine and Mason since 1965….he still had all the vintage,primative tools used in the making of what is now taken for ever as the light show….so janis tried out for BBHC and they hired her….no…they were not her back-up band……after she left for fame and deception…one failed band of hers…until she used her skills as band leader…to form uh…I forgot…surprise…something boogie band…it was in LA…wrapping up “Peral”…swimming with not only talent-i-ted…but guys who actually respected her music background and education….they liked her…she liked them….all was well….until…that old depression kicks…usually when everything is swell…self-esteem and too much ego makes for the best world just too good…gotta…get something to fill the empty hole…starting from family from another world..in port Aut…Texas…torn up chewed and spit out like redneck texas chew….plus more of the child stuff most of us take antidepress to survive….after she was 1969 going to her HS reunion….a week before she was on the Dick Cavit show….telling those back home who were living in a 1959 world….that she was comming back…oh yeah….and she did…putting on her best “wild riding fast SF style” face that we who knew her were sadden to she her unable to handle reporters….and classmates who ignored her as they did before…she was not even given the classmate from a big city traveling to attend the class of 1959 ficaso. she was and never could pull it off…she is a fragile woman child….off to better things in LA….never to return….and now I hope I can here from you if I should do this thing right.not backwards….love you all fellow real human people who should rule the country not be ashamed….by Janis oh this is a stream of words Hunter H Thompson style

Been on pristiq for 2 1/2 months. Don’t have any problems with it but yesterday I started feeling dizzy in the afternoon. I still feel weird in the front of my head today and was wondering if this could all of a sudden start this long into the treatment?
I am wondering if it’s just some bug I caught or if this could be the start of problems with this medication?

I would say it’s very unlikely that it’s the medication if you’re that far into treatment and you haven’t experienced any side effects thus far. Naturally, I couldn’t say it conclusively, but I suspect it’s something other than a side effect.

My doctor is decreasing my dose of effexor slowely because I am pregnant. The withdrawl is so bad I am having a hard time being healthy at all. I find myself too depressed to eat or drink or get proper nutriants.

I’m sorry to hear you are having such trouble. Are you decreasing the dose slowly via removal of beads as in the above article? If not, you might want to try that and see if it eases your withdrawal (if that’s what you’re experiencing). Of course, you may be experiencing a returning of the original condition that you took the Effexor for (presumably depression).

Antidepressants are in category “C” when it comes to pregnancy – which means that they should be used when the benefits outweigh the risks. In category C animal studies may have shown some risk but human studies either aren’t available or have not shown suitable risk to the fetus. (Note lactation is typically to be avoided.)

Only you can decide if you feel it’s worth the risk of continuing the medication – but if you can’t get the proper nutrients then, in my opinion, that is far riskier to the unborn child than the risk of the medication.

I’m sorry, I wish I had an easy answer for you but I can tell you this – untreated depression is a _huge_ risk to a child and we know that women who give birth depressed pass on all sorts of risks to their child both initially and developmentally.

I have been on Effexor 300mg daily since I was 16, I am almost 30 now. I was diagnosed with Bipolar II when I was 16 and have had numerous suicide attempts, numerous admissions to psych hospitals and was a cutter until I was 23. I was put on Lithium also this year after a mental breakdown in January, and while it did definately help, I decided I don’t want to be on these pharmaceutical medications anymore and I quit taking it after about 2 months. Now I am looking into natural medication to control my Bipolar II and also looking at ways I can stop taking my Effexor without going through horrible withdrawals.
I have been told ridiculous things like “try a raw food diet, yoga and meditation” or “try st john’s wort and sunshine”…IT MAKES ME FURIOUS!!!!!
I am open to any PROPER advice you can offer me.

Well, first off it’s odd to see a person with bipolar not on a mood stabilizer because being on an antidepressant by itself is contraindicated and can make the course of illness worse (although, say, 14 years ago there was less known about this).

If I were you and I was looking to minimize medication I would keep the lithium and ditch the Effexor as lithium is as “natural” as it gets (it’s a salt).

Nevertheless, one might ask why you are trying to get off meds in the first place. That is not normally a good decision for a person with bipolar. Just “wanting” to be off meds doesn’t generally work out well. We all “want” that, but that’s not a good reason to be going off medication.

Nevertheless, if that’s what you want, the best thing to do is follow the above approach for getting off the Effexor with the help of your doctor.

As for other mood stabilizing options to try that are non-pharmacological the _only_ option with any real evidence is omega-3. Again, talk to your doctor about this as there is a pharmaceutical-grade omega-3 available but if you don’t get that, you need information on what brand to buy and how much to take.

Decided to go cold turkey off Pristiq after feeling balanced and really OK about life and myself. No huge problems being on it except “sexual” and they were starting to really annoy me. So off it I went and now several months later the depression and anxiety have returned. Still controllable but dont like it. Question – due to only being off it for several months are there horid side effects going back on. First time when changing from Effexor I had none whatsoever. Any help before I start popping again.

In my experience you’ll probably have a similar experience as you had last time. _But_ in your case you are going from nothing to desvenlafxine (Pristiq) rather than from venlafaxine (Effexor) to desvenlafaxine so that could mean there will be differences.

Of course, if sexual side effects made you come off the medication in the first place, now might be time to try another medication that hopefully won’t have that side effect for you. Just a thought.

Have started to taper off of venlafaxine 200mg per day. I have noticed that most persons taking this particular drug are on capsules, whereas, I am taking a tablet which can be cut in to by the center score line. I have started to feel much better but am taking it very slowly. I was taking 2- 100mg tabs a day, then went to 150mg per day, am now down to 100mg per day. I only reduce the amount every two months, which is good for me. Everyone is different when it comes to tapering off drugs. Some can the tolerate the with drawl effects better than others are able to. I am doing this because I am so tired of just plainly ‘existing’. All I seem to be able to do is sleep, eat, and go to the bathroom. On this drug I feel like I can never do anything, nor can I actually get up the inclination to be motivated to do anything. I can not even be creative any sort of way. I have graduated high school, went to college, raised a family. I used to write poetry, create short stories, create recipes, do gardening, go for walks, go for bike rides, etc. I’m an ‘empty nester’ and found that children leaving the home was a bit hard on me. I had 5 children, and never really had to work, so when the kids grew up and left, I was alone, but hubby works so much that he was still able to focus on his job. About 6 years ago I went to the doctor for some help, and thus the anti-depressant was introduced to me. Now I feel like the anti-depressants stole my ability to live life. I’m done with this and all drugs. I smoked for 20 years and got over that on chantrix (smoke free for 6 years now). I realize that I have to remain on my high blood pressure medications, but that is it. I can’t stand living in a “jar’ watching the world go by while I wither away. I have so much in life to accomplish yet, I am only 50 and life does not end here for me. If life begins at 50, then I am on a new path and so far it has been wonderful. I am back to gardening, creating recipes, created a recipe site, riding bikes again with the grand children, and can even think about the future now instead of living day to day only. For me, This can be done safely if it is done slowly, which I am, and should I develop any problems along the way, I will do my best to get through it without a doctor shoving more pills down my throat. I have basically let Anti-depressants ruin my life, but no more. Hopefully my testimonial will give insight to others who are trying to cut back on their anti depressants that it can be done. So far any with drawl effects have not bothered me. If I get to feeling a little ‘antsy’ I go for a bike ride, go out and work in the garden or do some vigorous exercising to get rid of the excitability or irritability that it causes. Good friends, supporting family, and lots of prayer will get you through anything in life, and some humor along the way can not hurt.

Alis, you are a real sweetie…what about that creative right brain that you have more of than most stuffy right wing folks only wish they could taste a tid-bit of who is taught from the cold day they were yanked from the wonderful free to discover anything from water forming like sparkles after a summer rain..the sun breaks out just in time before shrubs never noticed are filled with diamonds…and as I remember..the vision…before the left brain crushes the dream…the little hands of a child rustle a few feet feeling an extrodinary experience and connection only God could give. after all the child dosen’t know the word God because that little window open for a few years will close forever as children have to learn who or what or how God does it. it happens to close around the third grade. language is not truly understood so those little free creative spirits can speak three or more languages…words are not torn apart misunderstood used and cannot be drilled in…who wants to drill into an open fresh child’s life is filled with hope love and peace….the are hope they do not have to read it,go to all sorts of harder then he..l to read by a vague puzzeling thing man, girl or whatever we are to hold as truth and the truth is Webster or Webster’s holy word inventor….so back to before life closes down as God intended for his very special creation man and the crown of creation women…had to just know because they grew up and forever be on a need to know as the window is given to all of us. yes and that is why I will never experience but possibly have been able to remember all those diamonds flying across my tiny little patch of a graden of imagination but lost forever for most….however hidden sometimes in the hearts only the few…right brain…creative…artist…of all modes God gave us to share with the world his beauty…because for us it’s dulled with all the massive sludge that we must accept…oh something wrong with a child who dances to the tune of a different drummer…like the little drummer boy who ruaph a thum thom for the newborn child. you know baby Jesus was born to an unwed mother..hard to explain in those times…homeless..in a barn….with a father figure who was unemployed that day…hard to get a stable job while on the run from a socialpath ruler who was dillusional enough to kill all the first born sons…wow…not a good move…as sons and first born were the to take care of many family members..women who lost husban girls who had to marry before the ripe old age of 14-15 . they could not survive otherwise…and along comes wack-a-doodle ruler so far removed he would listen to news..like so called news talk show host…Rusl L. would love to be in the thick of a kingdom filled with fear. The perfect power grab..a lushfull paranoid not to bright small time ruler. How about getting all filled up with hate for the Jewish community…giving him less power and a real pain in the a..s because they were the brightest and the best as history was made….the 9/11 of the day…but not men out to blow the socks off the region…oh no….not them…a tiny baby wide eyed and filled with love….a new born….that Jesus sweet little bundle of joy…will destroy the over extended Roman Empire…already past it’s prime…falling fast in decay by eating itself up with out the christ…yet in a strange turn of events baby Jesus a Jew and really didn’t want to take on the sins of the world..past…present..and forever until humanity eats it’s on good earth…and can no longer exist…every one needed a shake up those of his own faith…and all others with or without a true God….because…like today…religion…fell to coruption…what we know as truth is that “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” hard concept for Gods much loved son…history turns yrs. centuries, milliums later and here we are…calling ourselves Christians but unable to hear christ’s love so much to die hanging by nails skin falling from his arms chest so heavy he had to ask why….and the worst death none of us will ever feel…taking on the sin of every human being….and now we await his second comming because we thought we got it….being gods creation we he have to wonder…how can God and Jesus bloch it up….with the stupid factor we never want to let go of. Or perhaps it was that old free will we were cursed with…we are free to be what ever our minds can create from nothing..music..art…dance…hugs…time moves…however that kind of nonsense is for dreamers….parents never want their children to grow up to be of and within the…arts…can’t get a job….ask Mozart…Martha Gram…Bob Dylan…how can a man who cannot be understood when he speaks…but wrote music that changed our world for all of us. The answer my friend is blowing in the wind…I believe he and others were writing words by a devine power…a kinder way to punch out the stupid we rather wallow in. Did it last…I believe it has for more then old folks care to admit…after all we have to stay young because my generation thought they invented young….just gave it a title…theen age time of life…what a concept…before we went from mini adults to full grown adults passing something generations befor us knew was missing…oh yeah 13-19 all stops pulled because we were in no hurry to be out parents…what really gave it pulse was a whole new ripe time to market rebels with more money to be spent…post war america on top of it all…our parents tried to tell us their depression era stories and we didn’t want to go with their downer save save….the first and only depression to be fought with….bummer….well guess what it ain”t the last….and here we are not knowing to tell our children or their chridren what their grandparents warned about….they are almost gone by the hands of time….but getting back to what I started….and forgot…as I trailed off in a swrirl of free form writing only ladies like yourself can and will not only do but take off with the likes Mya Angelo, Grace Slick, Aldous Huxley and Dorthea Lang……they had faith, passion, and strength to be fearless…not like many of us…on a drug we are shaking down to the spark that is going to get out..even if the battle of the big pharma want consuming their form of tricky got ya addiction lace and indended to grip us forever. I stopped drinking 22yrs ago…stopped a habit popular with the disco era shipped all the way for south america for us to consume and not be able to stop except for a power greater than myself could take care of me until it was over….lost a lot of time money and health….Buttttt….like I said before at least it was a blast…had a good time for a time….knew the drug and all its evil ways…not like the decaptive drug dealers in the name of medicine…going on an 11 yr run…clean and sober…and addicted to…forget to put that in the danger drug list like pain killers…nope…thats an controlled substance…that just might give some rest to a condition of rentless pain…getting worse with age…..no because us old farts might just get addicted to….and might even get a little lift so we can function out of the beds we are bound to when pain wins….and then what….folks who really knew and understood the junkie life and the dealer man was up front ready to be the baaddd guy….at least they were honest…if you need one some time we are in plain sight…or in prison….while the professions keep bring back the mental illness of the decade…1950 scizoa..1960 anxiety…vals took care of that 1970’s general out of control what ever mix sounds good..manic depression…1980 just the depression thank you without the manics…Prozac…1990’s Bi-Polar…..and a slew of off the wall drug even tim leary would never conceive of…now we are back to scizo….with the latest greatest new drug dejour of the 21st centuary….bummer….and not forgetting giving folks in the hell of what is this all about crazy world…be sure it’s works just long enough to get ya hooked…then on the side effect slide keeping one really depressed…and when the patient runs out lets invent a new mental illness…how about histeria going back to Freuds day….when all the repressed victorian women just needed to have what their husband and a men only Zap of procreation…women just had to take it and if ever a hint of pleasure…out the door to see their saving sanity dr frued who gave them a little cocain…that will cure depression…and if she will keep comming back..in time..a little treatment to release all that histeria all women were ridden with…along with victorian bummer times for rich or poor if you were born a girl….So now what can they do to keep us hooked…because this can’t get off this stuff has reached it’s prime….get us off….how about reinventing the wheel…a little drink of anti everything meds with a chaser of Coke a Cola….processed like it was when first hitting the market….they didn’t call it Coke for nothing…and workers who slaved in factories for 12 hrs a day every day getting paid in what was left behind from the rats….nothing….but have a coke going to work away like snow white’s little weird men…and yes they could have a break…buy a coke….and go back refreshed….until they dropped dead before they became full grown men…30 35….who knows but for myself stopped the road to hell 1990 and refuse to take one more drug…..which I find the creepiest time in my life….withdraw from effexor…..and you Alisa are way ahead of me…creative…you write…I ramble…you hike…swim….walk….I mean you are ready for a jail break….I use humor…snyde at that…learned from most those remarkable angry comedians..Lenny Bruce, eddi murphy…all dead from too many cynicinal humor fuled by deep anger and depression…oh no…overdosed….or blew themselves up smoking a pipe…humor is only a very small tool…that I am taking all I can today trying take a direction that even me at 62 and counting want to do. and already set up to start…swim…yoga…not too much my dear…walk more then from bedroom to bathroom where I cold spend days trying to deal with that ever so dainty side effect..constipa….ion….just what every retired person wants to bask in the glory of the golden years…actually boomers would never use that very old unhip grouping of words our parents used too many times while we were growing up…up…no we use the heavy metal yrs…getting old is such a drag so sang mick and the boys ready to tour for their 50yr time rocking out as the bad boys of rock…Jagger said one time that no one would ever see him on stage signing street fighting man at 40..well it’s ok with me let me see he is now 69 pushing 70…and Keith Richard should have gone out with the others of his time…like Jimi Hendrix…Jim Morrison..a real case for bi polar…the drummer who would never stop until he fell over dead from too much Keith Moon..can you say ADHD….anyway you have 20yrs more any rock out folks who were not afraid to life their dream..some paying their dues before they became music bigger than life regular people….who the world would never have been tuned in and turned on to for generations to come. Mick Jagger actually attended a college for those who knew that financial bussiness degrees would give them an edge on the very few who made a dent in our world of music…..back in the day Mozert and the gang were the rock stars of the 18th century….any way if in fact you actually read this you are already over the worst of withdraw…who would want to read this dribble by some old lady on meds with whatever….however for me this is the second time today after never even looking online to write like the insane gonzo writer of the 70’s…Hunter S. Thompson…fear and loathing in las vegas…wrote for rolling stone…making no excuses about his style was new-refreshing?sometimes…and inspired by mounds of the pills of the day..dexidrin…made by good old pharma Smith Kline and French..until they were found to be too good that kids moms and pops had jars full of black butes…I know because I used to swipe a few from my fathers script. he was over weight….bad drugs has to be replaced with better ways to loose weight and be happy…and here we are….after 1980 all were gone…only to be replaced with meth…full of lighter fluid acid remover and who knows to be taken by young kids who never knew there were pharm clean made by real chemist..Meth…toothless speed freeks in a bathtub or chicken ranch calling themselves cookers…and to this day it only grows from grandpa biker to pop to his 15yr old kids after keep it safe and in the family….never knowing if this will ever end…cartels on meth cutting heads off in mexico on mothers day to send a message to the other head bangers to what???I believe they don’t use their product because just the lust to bring back the good old days…what..the french revolution reign of terror..lets all have a party….so now I am a total tired ready for another thrilling day taking on these little bast..er..s after I will pray if I can only stop running out of brains…asking god to take over if I’m too tired to deal with this nonsense….you inspired me and like it or not I feel as if you know me way to much however I was lifted by your kindness…please excuse my mouth from my street days…just doing what I can…if you are offended please let me know…after all I’m really a big gril now….comes with age….ups and downs….. Oh for all the professionals reading this as a group dr house moment….convinced I’m bi polar, ADD or possibly I gave up 22yrs one day at a time to decide to relap on speed from meth labs and cook-ers who often blow up their own children because they can’t stop and move them out of an out of control mix enough. resulting in a big opps that went boom…they lived….the children had to be scraped off the walls…after oh no tears and all it’s bury the kid and find a new and better way to entertain the other 5 or so kids they poped out ….no….you can come up with anything you want…or not…after all I’m really not that important to rattle your over active egos….just another person trying to get off this funky wheel of life that ya all went to far in school to realize…we are all mad said the smiling cat to Alice….and don’t forget what the door mouse said…feed your head……feed your head…just go ask Alice when she’s 10 feet in the hole trying to just get off those pills her mother never stops giving….they don’t do anything at all you know…through the looking class….via jefferson airplane….cica 1967

im currently trying to get off pristiq it is awful. i would have no problem but i am 6-8 weeks pregnant and yeah well i have no choice… im trying 1 tab every 2 days but its killing me. i need to throw up, i feel faint, dizzy and like my vision isnt as fast as what im actually moving and yeah the brain zapping thing is a killer and none of it is a cause of the pregnancy. seriously if it takes a month i think i will go mad coz im working full time and im finding it hard to eat now :(. a chemist near my can create smaller doses but apparently its price is in the $100 range for a set of pills even more and well lets face it i need to save for the baby. whoever designed pristiq is an idiot… why only create a drug in a high dose. for people like my brother getting off them is easy but for me i get all the symptoms. why didnt they create a lower dose specifically for people coming off them

I’m sorry you’re having such trouble. I know how hard it is, but all I can say is, this will pass.

If taking one pill every two days is working for you then go for it, but I wonder if it might not be better at that point just to stop altogether. I can’t say for sure.

And as for the people who make desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) yes, I have cursed them many times for not making a smaller dose. It seems like they’re trying to force people to stay on their medication and that just irks me beyond words.

So yes, if I ever meet them I will give them a good smack for everyone :)

I’m in a mess, no doctor, no meds, on day three of the withdrawl symptoms of Prestiq. I feel like a mack truck ran me over and backed up over me. any tips or advice to help me get through this? Going to lose my job, I can’t move…..its awful.

I’m sorry you’re going through such bad withdrawal. Perhaps if you say what the symptoms are I could be more helpful.

One thing I will say is I would do things to take your mind off of it if you can. Can you be around friends or family? You might not feel “better” per se, but it might be a useful distraction for a while.

Try sleeping lots also. If you’re not awake, you can’t feel the withdrawal.

Perhaps you can explain to your employer what is going on right now, that you have a medical situation that you need to attend to. You don’t have to be specific and tell them what is happening, only that it is medical and that you need some time right now. I’m sure your doctor will write a letter to that effect if you need him/her to.

I know this might seem obvious but I find a fan really helpful with hot flashes. If you can keep your body just a bit cooler, they seem to pass.

I know of nothing for brain zaps, I’m sorry. I would suggest a tranquilizer to help ease the withdrawal but you said you didn’t have medication. And, of course, you would need to work with your doctor if you wanted to try that.

Try soda crackers and ginger ale (or ginger steeped in hot water) for nausea if it’s really bad. If you don’t want to eat, try making yourself a shake with fruit and yoghurt because that tends to go down much easier than solid food and you should eat to keep your strength up. There is also anti-nausea medication available over the counter.

no meds in me at all, finding it tolerable but still ugh, the fan helped alot. Eating again. the brain zaps are still here, but have found keeping noise to minimum helps, stay away from caffiene and plain ole motrin helps not alot but some. Have you ever heard of any one ac tually coming off this without help from a doctor? Starting to feel well enough to go somewhere. But not sure I should take anything from a doctor, I really do not want to go through these symptoms again. Any ideas? My story is to long to post on here, but will say I didn’t have any other options then to go this way.

Just as an FYI, yes, many people do get off of Pristiq without too many problems, unfortunately, many people have problems too. Pristiq is actually supposed to be easier to get off of than Effexor.

It’s up to you as to whether you choose to take any other medication. You have to consider what your life is like off medication and what it could be like on medication. Does it personally make sense for you?

In my personal experience, I don’t have trouble getting off of meds – but Pristiq is the exception. So, to me, I don’t worry about withdrawal as I haven’t seen it like that with any other med. But that is just me. Some meds are harder than others. And keep in mind, you didn’t do the Prozac method which might have made it easier for you.

But, I always go on and come off meds extremely slowly, which is why I think I don’t see the withdrawal effects. The problem with Pristiq is that isn’t possible. That’s why I think it’s so bad for people. Other meds don’t have that problem.

I have been on antidepressants for about 12 years, along with mood stabilizers. I am bi-polar.
Several mths ago it was determined that I would be a good candidate for The Neuro Star Therapy. (MRI for the brain) I was thrilled. I took the treatments while still on the drug. 20 treatments in a row. I felt great. I had clarity like I remembered from my youth. Then came time for the drug withdrawals. Seroquel ER 100mg. daily was the first one I tackled. It was not easy, but they make smaller dosage so I got through it. It took about 3 weeks. Then came Pristiq 100mg daily. I started. I started tapering in January. 2 weeks of 50mg. 2 wks. of 50mg. every other day. Here is the catch. No lower dose for Prisiq. They are coated. You are not suppose to cut them. So I jumped off. It has been a night mare I was not prepared for in any way. My doctor also said anything , but a mild reaction was very rare. Next Monday will be six weeks.
Six weeks of little to no sleep, stomach sour 24hrs. a day, sweats, and chills. Truly a Hell!
I am still not sleeping well, even with the help of Ambien. I too another TMS treatment yesterday, and I will take another again tomorrow.. I know what this can do and I am determined to get back to a clear thought, and a healthy body. I don’t want any more drugs.
I am not suffering with depression. I am concerned about sleep. Tonight I will try “brown noise” after my hot bath, with epsom salts. I get on the treadmill for 20 minutes. I will do better with that. When I am clean of the drugs I am determined to get back to what I had a glimpse of before the withdrawals. I have not got the energy at this point. However, in the future I think the drugs companys should get the truth about the drugs and how they effect human beings lives. Not everyone can live without them. However, if we are given the chance and we can accomplish that and be healthy. Why should it be so hard to get off of these drugs. I know they could make it easier. I am angry about this for all of us.

I can understand your frustration and anger. Personally, I have a real hate-on for the desvelafaxine (Pristiq) guys for not making smaller dosages. That would be the simplest thing in the world for them to do and yet they don’t. It’s like they’re wishing suffering and pain on people. And I wish I could talk to one of these guys face-to-face and tell them so.

But I digress.

It’s great that rTMS is working for you. I understand it can help people but keep in mind you may need to continue medication to stay well. I’m sure you and your doctor have discussed this.

I’ve written a lot on how to improve sleep because I consider it to be such an integral part of bipolar disorder treatment.

I am currently on my third use of Venlafaxine. First time was about 15 years ago when I suspect I was started on 75 mg instead of the advised 50mg induction which led to bad headaches and me discontinuing before the first month had passed and returning to Prozac.
Second time I had been on Prozac for about 3 months but little changes were noted so my Doctor suggested Venlafaxina – and within a few days, the change was remarkable. I think I just caught my natural rise in mood and remember dis-continuing the tablets as my high euphoric mood had returned.
I have to say that while suffering from regular annual long depressions, that my current Psycho-therapist believes I am bi-Polar.
I have now been on Venlafaxina 75mg for about 6 months now, and my mood has not changed – in fact I have experienced far more suicidal thoughts than ever before, and have decided after reading many comments about Venlafaxina to withdraw from the drug.
I am wondering if I can lower my venlafaxina dosage to 37.5mg while at the same time taking Fluoxetina 20mg to help protect against the much-documented withdrawal effects of Venlafaxina ? How soon can I come off Venlafaxina while using the Fluoxetina please ?

Firstly, if you think you are bipolar it is inappropriate for you to be on an antidepressant (venlafaxine) without a mood stabilizer. Antidepressants tend to worsen overall courses of the illness when used alone. Of course, this is only the case if you are, in fact, bipolar. You need to talk to your doctor about this.

When getting off venlafaxine, remember, experience varies so you may have a hard time or you may not. I am not a doctor and any changes in your medication should only be made under the supervision of a doctor but yes, I would say evidence suggests you can reduce your venlafaxine while supplementing with fluoxetine (Prozac) for a lesser chance of withdrawal symptoms.

From there, it’s up to individual experience. If you’re not experiencing withdrawal at that level then you may be able to decrease the venlafaxine further. If you are experiencing withdrawal then slow down the taper. It’s all about what you, personally, are experiencing. Once you’re off the venlafaxine completely, then you can taper off the fluoxetine if you need to.

This is a fairly well-known technique at this point so a psychiatrist should be able to advise you on how to do it for you, specifically.

I know it’s tempting to try these kinds of things on our own when there is information available online but it’s always better to get the blessing and input of a doctor first.

Thank you for the reply Natasha – am now on the 4th day of reducing Venlafaxine dosage from 75mg to 37.5mg as described in my 1st post to you and the only real change that has occurred is that my sleeping pattern has been disturbed so I’m spending many hours unable to get to sleep, but I guess it could be far worse from reading other people’s experiences.
Sadly, I’m now out of the 37.5mg tablets which I got from opening a 75mg capsule where there were 2 tablets, and today I have taken my original starter dose for 15 days of a 50mg tablet – I do have over a month’s worth of 75mg capsules containing many minute particles of the drug but found assessing half of the content just too tricky to handle.
Is this OK for 4 days ?
I have an appointment with my Doctor this Wednesday afternoon where I intend to get a month of Venlafaxine at 37.5 plus a month at the lowest dosage after that – is it 20mg ?
Is it also worth asking for some sleeping tablets to cope with my restless sleep ?
Am also taking daily the 20mg tablet of Fluoxetina/Prozac to help the withdrawal symptoms.
Have also re-started an hour’s brisk walking outside in the Sun.
(P.S. Sorry if I posted this reply in the wrong place.)

Thank you for the reply Natasha – am now on the 4th day of reducing Venlafaxine dosage from 75mg to 37.5mg as described in my 1st post to you and the only real change that has occurred is that my sleeping pattern has been disturbed so I’m spending many hours unable to get to sleep, but I guess it could be far worse from reading other people’s experiences.
Sadly, I’m now out of the 37.5mg tablets which I got from opening a 75mg capsule where there were 2 tablets, and today I have taken my original starter dose for 15 days of a 50mg tablet – I do have over a month’s worth of 75mg capsules containing many minute particles of the drug but found assessing half of the content just too tricky to handle.
Is this OK for 4 days ?
I have an appointment with my Doctor this Wednesday afternoon where I intend to get a month of Venlafaxine at 37.5 plus a month at the lowest dosage after that – is it 20mg ?
Is it also worth asking for some sleeping tablets to cope with my restless sleep ?
Am also taking daily the 20mg tablet of Fluoxetina/Prozac to help the withdrawal symptoms.
Have also re-started an hour’s brisk walking outside in the Sun.

Hi. I’m writing from Mty, Mexico. I have been trying to get off pristiq for 6 months now. I decided to get off it ’cause it gave me horrible migraines, muscle twitching and made me terribly angry and irrational. I’ve been reducing the dose painstainkingly slowly by cutting the pill in half, and now I’m taking a quarter of the pill. I’m much more depressed now than I ever was and what makes me sadder is that my doctor does not believe my withdrawal symptoms are normal. He says my case is atypical since “everyone can get off antidepressants in a couple of weeks. He has indicated me to take half the pill every other day, and finally stop taking it all together in two weeks. I know that’s impossible for me, but he doesn’t believe me. ¿Why are doctors so ignorant of antidepressant withdrawal symptoms? It makes me really angry and hopeless. I don’t know when I’ll be able to come off this drug and feel normal again.

Anyway, it helps to read that other people have gone through the same thing with pristiq withdrawal.

I’m sorry to hear you’re having a hard time coming off Pristiq. Obviously, I know how hard it is. If you’re feeling more depressed now it may be because Pristiq was successfully managing your depression at a higher dose and now, obviously, it can’t. You may need to take another antidepressant to handle your depression. The withdrawal may also be making your depression worse, or seem worse if you were feeling better before.

As to why doctors are so ignorant to withdrawal symptoms, I don’t know. I suspect part of it is because drug companies never talk about withdrawal symptoms and would probably deny them, if asked. Also, withdrawal symptoms rarely show up in studies, probably because no one is looking for them and people tend to take mediations for very short periods of time.

And as to why you doctor doesn’t believe you, that I could say. I can only say this has happened to many of us and many doctors choose not to believe us. But we are (you are) individuals and we all react differently to coming off of and getting on medications.

Yeah I guess it’s harder for me since I’ve been on antidepressants for many years. First I was on Effexor for 7 years, coming off it was a very long nightmare. When the withdrawal was finally over I was doing ok without antidepressants for 6 months, until I got a jaw surgery and the depression came back full blown, that’s when I was prescribed Pristiq (I didn’t know at that time it was like Effexor). So now I think I’m gonna try the “prozac bridge”, and then see if I can use a different AD, because right now I can’t lseem to live with or without Pristiq.

I have been on Pristiq for just over a year now. The first month on it I felt great, energized. I had very moderate depression with no anxiety (mostly seasonal). I just wanted something moderate that would get me through the winter blues. I am 33 and this is the first time I have ever been on an AD and the last time.

The moody blues went away for about a month. My dr. told me to double my dose. After a month of doing that, i didnt see any difference. I decided that it wasn’t doing me any good and in fact making me more depressed than when I started so I decided to stop taking it. I had no idea about the side effects of stopping use. That first day was unbearable. The brain zaps, dizziness, overwhelming feeling to bawl, it was too much, so I got home from work and took a pill and just cut my dosage back to 1 a day.

My moderate depression has turned into full blown depression. While on it, I have become numb to life. I dont want to get up in the morning, i have no desire to go workout, and have gained 15 lbs, I am not an active participant in my family anymore. I would rather sit on the couch than go and have fun with them. Insomnia and constipation are another wonderful side effect of the drug. I am snappy and irretable. I sometimes feel of no worth. I basically feel like a totally different person that I do not like. Somedays I feel as if I am spinning out of control.

I decided to take my life back! I know that it says to not cut the pills, but with 50mg being the smallest dose, I did it anyway. I started cutting them in half about 2 months ago and then into quarters 3 weeks ago. I am on day 2 now without taking a pill and the side effects are there in full force and very unpleasant, but now that i know what to expect, i am managing it better than i did the first time. I feel like a junkie going through detox. I dont know how long these effects will last, but i am willing to wait it out. The side effects being on the drug are not worth the days, weeks or months that it will take for my body to function without it. This little pill has turned my world upsided down.

I am hoping to get back on track and deal with my depression with holistic remedies and exercise to release endorphins. I am hoping that this medication has not totally screwed me up and that I will funtion normally soon. I feel so sorry for all the people going through this.

I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough go. Good luck on finding alternatives but just remember that without medication your depression may come back. Or it might not. Just try to be ready with a plan if it does. And also know that not all medications are like this. Now that you have a bit of experience you’ll know what questions to ask if you need to go back there in the future.

Thank goodness I found this site- and thank you for posting it! Twice I have tried to d/c effexor- went to pristiq- tried to d/c by cross tapering with Wellbutrin as I still wanted the good effect of IBS control. After curling up in a ball shaking and crying by day 10- I resumed the pristiq. Hate feeling “trapped”. But pristiq DOES help my IBS like nothing I’ve ever tried. But a few side effects are what made me want to try a change. I didn’t realize it can take up to 6 months to get off it! Now I know that when I feel like attempting it again- there’s hope. Ps I’m a nurse and the drug reps NEVER mentioned the awful withdrawal symptoms. Thanks so much- you’re a blessing!!

I just saw your post and just wanted to comment. Working in the health industry, you probably have tried everything under the sun for your IBS, but if you havent, maybe my story will shed some light on an alternative to Pristiq, if you are just on it for digestion……

I am 33 and was diagnosed with IBS when I was 10. I tried everything to get it under control and never found any medication to work or any sort of eating plan the dr’s told me to do. I pretty much thought I would just suffer from this for the rest of my life.

I had done a “paleo” contest (meats, veggies, nuts, seeds and some fruit – absolutely no grains) at my gym in January 2010 and after about 2 weeks my digestive system started acting normal. It was the first time in my life. But after the challenge was over, I went back to my old eating habits and started having the same old problems. Finally sick of dr’s telling me they can’t help me or telling me to take this or that I decided to experiment with my food intake. Remembering how good i felt in January 2010 I decided I would cut things out of my diet one by one. I figured first i would do gluten then dairy and just see if I could figure this out myself. After about 2 weeks of eating gluten free and taking a magnesium supplement (which aids in digestion), all the bloating and pain went away. I then went to the dr and had them test me for celiac disease. My result came back negative for celiac, but he said that I may just have a gluten allergy.

Since I started eating gluten free back in October 2011 I have not had the issues I had in previous years with IBS. If I dont pay attention and eat something that has gluten in it, I get horrible cramping and bloating, etc.

I dont know what your symptoms are, or if you have tried not eating gluten, but if you havent, what can it hurt. Going gluten free has been the best decision I could have made. If my story helps just one person then its worth sharing. If it works, then getting off Pristiq is a whole other battle.

hello, I recently was refered to a phychiactric doctor. I went last thursday or friday. she cut my meds i was on off cold turkey. they were effecor, celexa, and trazadone. She started me on seraquil, im having the worst fidgets and shakes and i cant stop it. im still on my ativan at newly started seraquil, plz tell me how to help this feeling away. i cant sit still and i work and go to school. when i called my doc was off and was todl to come in the 14th? plz help

I’m sorry to hear that happened. Some doctors take these kind of radical steps without thinking how it effects the person. It sounds very irresponsible to me. I might start looking for a new doctor.

What you need is an EMERGENCY psych appointment. If you can’t get one, then get an emergency appointment with any doctor. Tell them you _can’t_ wait. Someone will help you.

I can’t tell you what to do with your meds as I am not a medical professional. But consider that you are going through withdrawal and sometimes what helps that is returning to the medications you were on before. This is pretty common. I’m not telling you to do that, but it’s information you can consider.

I was on Effexor once and I ran out of my prescription. Within hours I was vomiting so badly I could not keep down the next dose when I finally got it. The shakes and withdrawal and dizziness and headaches were so bad that I decided never to start taking it again because I never wanted to go through that again. I felt much better off it but within a month or so my mental illness returned. i should have gone to the doctor to manage those withdrawal symptoms.

I can’t believe this story, that a psychiatrist would just take you off any medication so suddenly especially effexor. Perhaps she felt that the medication was causing your recent symptoms. When you are better please make sure that you speak with your doctor to try and understand their reasoning as it applies to your case. If you understand yourself and your illness, and the general processes of psychiatrists, you can better work with them to manage your illness. Simply complaining of symptoms to your doctor and taking the pills without asking questions will not be enough to manage your illness.

I have learned the hard way that it is important to be proactive in managing your illness. Read as much as you can, and talk to as many knowledgeable people as you can.

That’s really good advice. I find it so incredible that a doctor would do that that I don’t care much about their reasoning – but you’re right, understanding a doctor’s reasoning behind their actions is key to a positive working relationship and for making good decisions on your part.

About 5 yrs ago when I was maybe less mental, less bp II, I felt like my old self and stopped effexor maybe 225 cold turkey even tho I had heard of w/draw issues. (Don’t yell at me) As a rule I don’t have PMS but I sure felt very PMS-y for about 5 days.

One reason I stopped like that is because I have never felt any of the 10+ anti’s I have tried for the last 7 yrs has ever helped..I never felt better from them. I have grown to take them and hope for the best, like a placebo.

?–If I felt the w/drawal then does that mean the drug was working even tho it didn’t feel it??

Currently I am only on Seroquel XR for psy meds.
P.S. No brain freezes.

While, obviously, I never recommend abruptly stopping any medication (don’t worry, not going to yell at you) getting off the antidepressant may have been the best thing for you in the long run. Antidepressants can make a course of bipolar worse for some people.

Answer – No, just because you felt withdrawal doesn’t mean the drug was effective for you. People feel side effects all the time, without any benefit. Withdrawal is essentially the same thing.

About 5 yrs ago when I was maybe less mental, less bp II, I felt like my old self and stopped effexor maybe 225 cold turkey even tho I had heard of w/draw issues. (Don’t yell at me) As a rule I don’t have PMS but I sure felt very PMS-y for about 5 days.

One reason I stopped like that is because I have never felt any of the 10+ anti’s I have tried for the last 7 yrs has ever helped..I never felt better from them. I have grown to take them and hope for the best, like a placebo.

Currently I am only on Seroquel XR for psy meds.
P.S. No brain freezes.

Yes, compounding pharmacies can make up smaller dosages of many drugs, in capsule and in liquid form.

A peer support site, SurvivingAntidepressants.org, has tips for reducing specific drugs in its Tapering forum at http://tinyurl.com/42ewlrl

Alternating dosages is a terrible way to taper, second only to cold-turkey as a generator of withdrawal symptoms. Obviously, alternating dosages of short-acting drugs (all antidepressants other than Prozac are short-acting) causes fluctuations in blood and brain levels of the medication. The nervous system is not happy with these fluctuations.

Alternating dosages sometimes may be doctor-recommended but in this, as in so many other aspects of withdrawal, the medical community is working with inadequate information which contributes to patient harm.

Doctors recommend it because they have no idea what else to do. There’s very little out there for them about what “tapering” means, exactly. For example, FDA factsheets and package inserts for Pristiq advise using a lower dosage to taper — yet no lower dosage exists.

Pristiq is what I was on and it took nearly a MONTH for the withdrawal symptoms to go away. It’s what they call electric shock syndrome, I think. Feels like pins and needles constantly in the hands and you feel occasional nervous shocks in the head. Thankfully, I was unemployed with enough money to survive for a while, otherwise working like that would have been hell.

I’ll have to take your word on the “electric shock syndrome” name because I’m not sure of it either, but I certainly am aware of the brain zaps. I’ve heard some really awful stories about them although have been lucky enough to avoid them myself. They are much more likely with Effexor than with Pristiq but I gather they can happen occasionally with other meds too.

It’s sad that your unemployment was “necessary” during that time. Doesn’t say much for meds withdrawal management, does it? At least you’re off it now. That’s something.

(Question, did you use the kind of method above when you went off Pristiq?)